Federal Felon Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Drug Charges

UTICA, NEW YORK – Sakena Kocer, age 32, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty today to illegally possessing a .22 caliber pistol, and possessing and intending to distribute marijuana.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Kevin Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

As part of her plea, Kocer acknowledged that on December 19, 2014, while on supervised release and after serving a prison sentence for a prior federal drug trafficking offense, federal agents recovered a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol and over 15 pounds of marijuana from various locations under her control.  Kocer’s prior felony drug trafficking conviction prevented her from legally possessing a firearm. 

Kocer faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 4 years when she is sentenced on February 19, 2020 by United States District Judge David N. Hurd.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

This case was investigated by HSI, ATF, the U.S. Probation Office for the Northern District of New York, and the Schenectady Police Department.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.